"She was my first kiss. My first love. She was the little match girl who could see the future in the flame of a candle. She was a runaway who taught me more about life than anyone has before or since. And when she was gone my innocence left with her."

Summary: In 1962, Eric is just an ordinary nerdy boy, who a bad haircut and acne. That was until he met Grace, a popular and beautiful girl that was the total opposite of Eric. Grace had runaway from home, from the abusings of her stepfather which during those times were unheard of. Eric is mystified by her, and falls in love with her, and she with him. Eric hids her in his and his brother's club house, there the story unfolds.

Wdebo's Review: The front flap's summary (a letter from Richard Paul Evans) made it, as my friend said, "Sound boring." It was kind of vague and yeah, boring. But the story was far from that. The reader is taken from this old man's life into his life as a teenager and the love of his life that stumbles in through the dumpster. It was a phenominal book and one of the few books that actually made me cry.

Pro: Amazing imagry and a wonderful narrator. Richard Paul Evans really gave this character a lot of depth. Eric is just like any other nerd that walks the hall in school, awkward in his own skin and not knowing what he should do about anything. The weight of having to care for Grace weighs down on him too. I also enjoy how in the beginning of the chapter there was a snippit of Grace's diary, she just sounds so philosiphical. lol

Con: This omment has absolutely nothing to do with the writing but I got the kind where the pages are yellow and the are all uneven so some pages were sticking out which the others weren't that was just annoying, I hate it when books are like that. Otherswise, all I have to complain about is, Eric might have been a little too awkward, but that just goes into character for him, and I guess that was what Evans was reaching for.

All in all, I believe everyone should just turn off their computer RIGHT NOW and get this book, it is amazing and makes me want to read his other book, The Christmas Box (And it's almost christmas anyways so why not?! OMG 10 more days!!!)

Summary (From my old manga spotlight): Tamako Momono has been dreaming about being Kanji Inui's wife since she was three and he was seven, when he promised her that he would marry her when she became strong and brave and not a cry-baby (because her mom had to leave her). Now ten years later, her mom is a famous pop star with a super famous show called "Idol P.I." and must keep her child, Tamako, a secret because her image is based on purness- while she had little Tamako when she was a teenager. Now, Kanji must remember that promise he gave to her and find out just how love can blossom.

Wdebo's Review: I LOVE LOVE this manga! (Currently waiting on the 4th/last book :( Why does it have to end??!!) Like I say for some of my other book reviews, there is something about books that guys write, they just don't have this line that they are not allowed to cross, books written by guys are just more uninhibited then girl books.

Pro: Funny! That's what this manga is based around love and comedy, my two favorite things to read about. The characters are well developed and have their own personalities. (My fav is Hisame, even though he doesn't talk and all he does is eat.)

Characters:

Tamako Momono (Pictured): The eigth grade heronie, she is living with the Inui family, she is in love with Kanji and is doing whatever she can to become his "Perfect woman." She is an quick and limber as a monkey.

Kanji Inui (Pictured): The eleventh grader that is the object of our heronie's affections. His family owns the Dog Run agency Scout. He is a whiz at finding fresh faces and has an unhealthy obsession over make-up.

Kanta (Pictured): Tamako's cute monkey sidekick.

Raizo Hishikawa: A member of the boy band Rain, which Kanji helped get him into. Raizo has pledged his life to pleasing Raizo (not as weird as it sounds)

Shinju Momono: Tamako's mom and the star of "Idol P.I."

Kinichi Inui: Kanji's perverted yet hillarious father. He is the owner of Dog Run and though he is weird and can be kinda creepy is is a really nice, middle-aged guy.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Ok, so this is my first "Book to Movie" so I am not sure if I should review it or what? Oh well, here goes...

Title: Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

Author: John Grogan

HARDBACK

Amount of Pages: 289

Copyright year: 2005

Geared towards: Adults or teens

Extra Info: Pics on Back and front of the book insides, sooo cute!!

Movie Info: Comes out on December 25th, perfect christmas gift *hint,hint*, the official site is HERE. An all star cast of: Jennifer Anniston and Owen Wilson!!

"Was it possible for a dog-any dog, but especially a nutty, wildly uncontrollable one like ours-to point humans to the things that relly mattered in life?"

Summary(Credits to front flap of book): John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.

Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound steamroller of a Labrador retriever, a dog like no other. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, flung drool on guests, stole women's undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around, including couches and fine jewelry. Obedience school did no good-Marley was expelled. Neither did the tranquiliers the veterinarian prescribed for him with the admonishment, "Don't hesitate to use these."

And yet Marley's heart was pure. Just as he joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley shared the couple's joy at their first pregnancy and their heartbreak over the miscarriage. He was there when babies finally arrived and when the screams of a seventeen-year-old stabbing victim pierced the night, Marley shut down a public beach and managed to land a role in a feature-length movie, always winning hearts as he made a mess of things. Through it all, he remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditioanl love, they would learn, comes in many forms.

Wdebo's Review: I read this book a while ago, so I don't remember the finer details. (But don't worry, I am reading it again to get ready for the MOVIE! But I do remember that I was IN LOVE with this book when I read it.

Pro: So cute and good. John Grogan is an amazing author. He uses wonderful imagry that really captures the beauty of Marley. He takes you on a ride of his life, through the ups and downs of pregnency and owning of a dog. Trust me I know, my dog is an Australian Shepherd, she has WAY too much energy for her own good. I also love the pictures, they are soooo cute! <3

Con: I can't think of any, doesn't mean there aren't any.

All in all, if you haven't read this book before I reccomend you do so RIGHT NOW before the movie comes out...So excited!! For those who have RE READ IT!!!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Title: The JesterAuthor(s): James Patterson & Andrew GrossHARDBACKAmount of pages: 452Geared towards: Adults or at the very least mature teensExtra Info: Visit James Patterson's offical site HERE

" 'In my experience, such things are better left the stuff of lengends and myths."

Summary: Hugh De Luc is a poor innkeeper who's only desire for survival as he fights through the First crusades is of his beloved wife Sophie. Sophie was his love since he was 10, the daughter of an innkeeper, who's inn he went to every year since he was...10. They later got married and tried to have a baby, though they can't.

When Hugh almost crawls back home after two years of war, he comes home to an empty inn. His wife was captured by a duke in search of an ancient relic that leads all the way back to christ. He also finds out Sophie had a son a year back who was killed by that ruthless duke. Angered, battered, and completly crazed, Hugh throws down everything (literally) and runs towards Treille.

He makes a "pit stop" at another town and the story unfolds from there as he meets the beautiful Emilie who saves him and makes him into a jester so he can infultrate into Treille. And Hugh is very surprised what he finds there.

Wdebo's Review: Wow, everytime I read books like these (Which includes Pillars of the Earth), I am appalled but yet intreged. I wonder how these dukes, who are "protectors" of their people can just do this and GET AWAY WITH IT!!! It just sucked you in and I felt like I couldn't put it down until I finished it.

Pro: It just sucked me into it. I loved it. It was an amazing book with such vivid details and imagry. It made me cheer for Hugh, Sophie and Emilie and made me dispise and boo the dukes. Anyone can write a story about history, dukes, jesters and the daily lives of castles, but very few people can make it INTERSTING like James Patterson and Andrew Gross did in The Jester. I am very glad there was not a huge emphasis on sex, like Pillars of the Earth had.

Con: Sometimes, there is just TOO much imagry, I know it is to make you understand it, but just kind of gross, but I'm saying "take out all these at once!" I am just stating what I feel, but it does give the story depth. But in my opinion there was very very few cons, the beginning was a wee bit boring, but then again, its quite rare to read a GREAT beginning.

All in all, I would reccomend anyone (who can handle these types of books) to read this phenominal book and also to check out Pillars of the Earth!

Summary: Jenny Green's, spoiled teen "princess" and a loyal member of the JAPS (Jewish American Princess), sophmore year has been utterly horrible. Not only does her crush, Mark Leibowitz, ditch his request to ask her to the prom, but instead he took out Veronica Cohen, a fellow junior and her ex-BFF. At the end of the year, all Jenny can say is "Good-bye Long Island, HELLO Canda!"

When she becomes the newest junior at Montreal's Molson Academy, Jenny is surprised to find that she has to sleep with a bunch of hippies, who are, how do we say this, a WHOLE lot different then she is. But, Jenny doesn't care, well she does a little, because she is more interested in what kinds of guys she can find. Jenny is very beautiful, charming, and sharp-witted, and has no trouble getting lots of BFs.

However, when she finds out how horrible the male 49% of the world can be, Jenny is FED UP! She hates the lying, cheating and disrespect and decides to make them pay-with their lives.

Wdebo's Review (I'm deciding to do it a little different, say some general comments about it and then break it up into cons and pros. Also have a letter grade for it-Thank you Lauren for that idea!): First things first, the picture on the cover is pretty awkward, so the whole time I was reading it, I never wanted to lets my parents see it. Come on, she's holding a BUTCHER knife, oh well, it does make a point about the story. The story line was interesting, but it does get into pretty awkward stuff.

Pro: Intersting topic, though I find somethings that the male population does I would not go arouond killing them, that is what jails are for. Jenny was a very cleaver narrator she was very sharp-witted and quick-minded. I can see exactly why she was angry at the men that came into her lives, her story jumped out at me pretty quickly.

Con: Um, cover for one thing, but its not that bad, I just couldn't read it at school, or everyone will be looking at me weird and stuff, I would look at someone weird if they were reading a book like that. There was A LOT of sex in it, I personally don't think that they should have a lot of that in books. It annoyed me a lot when the JAPS came that she didn't tell them to get their behinds out of their house and stop being such idiots to everyone in the house, I thought Jenny was stronger then that!

All and all, I thought it wasn't the best read, but it wasn't the worst read either. Read this as a quck read and PLEASE don't take it too seriously..